The present invention relates to an exercise apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to an exercise apparatus having one or more hand grip means/body supports in combination with a guide means, designed to promote and gradually improve an exerciser's ability to safely perform forward and lateral extensions and other push-up type exercises.
Various types of exercise equipment and exercises are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 1,982,843 to Traver teaches a gliding type ski and rowing exercises having two parallel guide means and independently sliding block means therein. Fixed abutment points are provided at either end of the guide means to prevent further movement of the block means once they travel the length of the guide means. The two block means may be joined together by a seat for rowing type exercises.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,884 to Hankin teaches an apparatus for exercising leg muscles. A set of parallel guide means has two independently slidable plates, the plates having wheels which ride within the guide means. Stop means are included on the guide means, comprising holes set along the length thereof, and protruding pegs. Situated on the slidable plates are further plates which are rotatably fixed on the slidable plates. The knees are simply frictionally rested on top of the plates.
The devices of Traver and Hankin are both designed specifically for the exercise of leg muscles. Because of the completely different orientation and much greater degree of difficulty required for upper body exercises of the lateral or forward extension type, these devices do not allow a user to properly grip and support the body, and do not permit a safe and viable means for performing the desired exercises. Several prior art devices are known which are intended to be used for lateral and forward extension. However, they are in general deficient in providing the needed guidance and adjustability required for these exercises.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,821,394 to Barbeau discloses a roller-type exerciser comprising a pair of hand grip/body support means in the general shape of bar-bells, in which a pair of wheels is rotatable about a central shaft. The user grips one device in each hand by the shaft and performs rolling type lateral extension push-ups. Tension upon an internal coil spring increases as the devices roll outwardly from the body during the exercise, so as to assist the user in returning to the starting position in which the hands are close to the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,906 to Burzenski teaches an exerciser comprising a shaft and a wheel rotatable on the shaft located inwardly thereof. A user can grip the shaft with both hands via handle means on either end, and perform a number of rolling type exercises.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,134,590 to Young teaches a rollable exercising device with a built-in braking means. The Young device does attempt to overcome one of the problems associated with the prior art, namely that it does make possible a gradual change in difficulty in performing a roller type exercise. The Young device has an internal braking mechanism which engages after the device has been rolled a certain distance. That certain distance must be set before each exercise set by placing the device at the farthest distance desired and rolling the device towards the user. When the device is then pushed out in a rolling manner during the exercise, the brake will engage at the pre-set distance. However, since the braking distance is dependent on the continuous rolling of the wheels, any break in that continuity will alter the effectiveness of the brake. For example, any slippage occurring between the wheel and the exercise surface during the exercise will act to lengthen the braking distance, possibly to the detriment of the user. In addition, as the braking mechanism is internal, it is quite possible that the brake can not fully counter the strong inertial outward movement of the arms of the user once braking point is reached, resulting in the entire device continuing its outer path even under internal braking conditions.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for safely performing lateral or forward extension type exercises that can be performed in graduated degrees of difficulty along a controlled path.